October 27, 2011

Halloween Booktacular DAY FOUR + GIVEAWAY!



Welcome to Day FOUR of our Halloween Booktacular event!

Today we have a guest post by the author of Bloodspell, Amalie Howard.

Amalie is also giving away a personalized copy of Bloodspell to one lucky visitor today.

Make sure to check out all the other participating blogs: 

Once Upon A TwilightDark Readers, Books With BiteSkyla11377AliseOnLife (Read My Mind), and An Avid Readers Musings 


We each have something great happening :-)






Most Memorable Halloween

It’s an understatement to say that Halloween, the most nefarious holiday of the year, brings out our darker sides, mine in particular. It’s a time when I can escape reality for a few hours, stuff my face with all kinds of candy (I once heard a rumor that Halloween candy has no calories), carve creepy pumpkins, dress up in costume and be part of a hopping coast-to-coast masquerade party. I grew up in the Caribbean where Halloween wasn’t really celebrated, so I’m still making up for lost time!

For the most part, my choice of costume tends to vacillate between a witch and a vampire. In the case of the latter, I even had a pair of custom-made porcelain fangs. Yes, you read that right. Custom. Porcelain. Fangs. The way I see it is that it’s all about commitment to the character. Not that, of course, I actually believed I was a vampire, but I enjoyed looking and feeling the part. For me, the draw of vampires has always been their mystery, their sensuality, and their supernatural abilities. If it weren’t for the blood, I’m certain I would have made an excellent chocolate-eating vampire.

One of my most memorable Halloween escapades was back in 1998, when I was invited to a Halloween Party at the Playboy Mansion. Technically, my friend was invited and I was her “plus one.”


(I can only show you the inside of the invitation as the outside is far too risqué!)



Anyway, I decided to go as … you guessed it, a vampire. However, my customary vampire attire required some serious sassing up. I mean if I was going to be in the illustrious company of the notoriously gorgeous women at the Playboy Mansion, I needed a badass, smoking hot costume. As I said before, I’m all about the commitment to character. So with that in mind, armed with a sheer Indian gauze skirt, bikini top, long black wig with gold coin headband, gold arm bracelets, stilettos, oodles of kohl eyeliner and my trusty fangs, I was set. I was going to be the hottest Egyptian belly-dancer vampire EVER.

To get into the mansion, everyone had to be checked against a guest list at the gates by some pretty daunting men-in-black security guards, and then there was a second security check at the top of the driveway. This Halloween do was strictly by invitation only. Once inside, it was just as insanely awesome as all the tabloid magazines described, and I was suitably star-struck by all the Hollywood glitz. From Doherty to Anderson, the celebrities were in costume and in fine form. I even ventured into the infamous grotto, only to find Pauly Shore prancing around in a pink tutu. But the best part of the evening came when Hugh Hefner walked down the stairs escorted by the most skimpily clad playboy bunnies I’ve ever seen while wearing a “Prisoner of Love” inmate costume. Classic.

All in all, it was a pretty fabulous Halloween party, and an experience I’ll never forget. My costume was a hit and an instant conversation starter, “belly dancers need blood too.” I did feel slightly overdressed, but live and learn I always say. Next time (if ever there’s a next time), I will have to be far more inventive. I’m thinking Malibu Barbie vampire. But that’s a story for another night! Happy Halloween!

*No bunnies were endangered during the retelling of this story.


More information on Amalie Howard and her books, check out the following links:





Giveaway:
Amalie is giving away a personalized signed copy of Bloodspell to one lucky visitor today.




- US and CANADA ONLY
- Winners will be chosen with Random.org
- Contest Ends November 4th
- MUST FILL OUT this FORM to enter





2 comments:

  1. Wow... that does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of Halloween. Trying to get the image of Pauly Shore in a tutu out of my head though... lol. Thanks so much for the giveaway GCR & Amalie!

    May your Halloween be full of much spookiness. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Omg - you LUCKY, lucky vampire *cough* ... I mean GIRL!! :D Not only a Halloween Party, but to rub shoulders with some of Hollywood's finist!

    Happy Halloween and may the Great Pumpkin shower thee with Snickers lol

    ReplyDelete

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